Due to the fact that this format is based on standard HTML/CSS it is quite straightforward to control the appearance of the output by applying CSS tags/classesto the cells/rows/tables, etc.

In order to aid the developers, we exposed the ExportCellFormatting event. It fires for each cell in each data item in RadGrid.

Note
Please note that the ExcelExportCellFormatting event (Excel-specific) is marked as obsolete as from RadControls for ASP.NET AJAX Q1 2011.

There are two important members exposed by the ExportCellFormattingEventArgs:

• Cell - this is a reference to the current TableCell. You can use it to apply specific CSS style or to gain access to the GridDataItem object:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

GridDataItem item = e.Cell.Parent as GridDataItem;

CopyVB.NET

Dim item As GridDataItem = TryCast(e.Cell.Parent, GridDataItem)

• FormattedColumn - this property returns an object of type GridColumn. It helps to distinguish to which column the current cell belongs to.

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

GridColumn column = e.FormattedColumn as GridColumn;
string columnName = column.UniqueName;

CopyVB.NET

Dim column As GridColumn = TryCast(e.FormattedColumn, GridColumn)
Dim columnName As String = column.UniqueName

The purpose of this event is to allow the developer to insert global styles (CSS) or configuration options (XML) to the exported file. A possible application for this event is to enable the grid lines for the current worksheet:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_HTMLExporting(object sender, GridHTMLExportingEventArgs e)
{
    e.Styles.Append("body { border:solid 0.1pt #CCCCCC; }");
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_HTMLExporting(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridHTMLExportingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.HTMLExporting
    e.Styles.Append("body { border:solid 0.1pt #CCCCCC; }")
End Sub

Thanks to the ExportCellFormatting event it is really easy to apply custom styles to the rows/cells. The following code-snippet demonstrates how to style the alternating items:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ExportCellFormatting(object source, ExportCellFormattingEventArgs e)
{
    GridDataItem item = e.Cell.Parent as GridDataItem;
    if (item.ItemType == GridItemType.AlternatingItem)
        item.Style["background-color"] = "#359AFF";
    else
        item.Style["background-color"] = "#2D62FF";
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ExportCellFormatting(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As ExportCellFormattingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ExportCellFormatting
    Dim item As GridDataItem = TryCast(e.Cell.Parent, GridDataItem)
    If item.ItemType = GridItemType.AlternatingItem Then
        item.Style("background-color") = "#359AFF"
    Else
        item.Style("background-color") = "#2D62FF"
    End If
End Sub

Sometimes the developer needs to highlight the negative values (for example: -1, -5, -10.5) - this could be achieved in the same event handler:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ExportCellFormatting(object source, ExportCellFormattingEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName == "MyColumn" && double.Parse(e.Cell.Text) < 0)
        e.Cell.Style["background-color"] = "#FA2020";
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ExportCellFormatting(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As ExportCellFormattingEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ExportCellFormatting
    If e.FormattedColumn.UniqueName = "MyColumn" AndAlso Double.Parse(e.Cell.Text) < 0 Then
        e.Cell.Style("background-color") = "#FA2020"
    End If
End Sub

These events are usable in different scenarios such as applying styles to items other than GridDataItem

They are not as convenient as the ExportCellFormatting event because the developer should use flag to distinguish whether the current item/cell is being exported or displayed.

Please keep in mind that if you don't use IgnorePaging="true"RadGrid will be exported directly and the ItemCreated/ItemDataBound events won't be fired.

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

bool isExport = false; //Export flagprotected 
void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    isExport = true;
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel();
}
protected void RadGrid1_ItemCreated(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Item is GridHeaderItem && isExport)
        e.Item.Style["background-color"] = "#EEAAEC";
}

CopyVB.NET

Private isExport As Boolean = False 'Export flagProtected
Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    isExport = True
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel()
End Sub
Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCreated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridItemEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCreated
    If TypeOf e.Item Is GridHeaderItem AndAlso isExport Then
        e.Item.Style("background-color") = "#EEAAEC"
    End If
End Sub

When IgnorePaging="false" you should rebind RadGrid manually, otherwise this approach won't work. The above code needs only one change - put RadGrid1.Rebind() after the point where you set the flag.

XmlOptions property allows you to set different options of the exported file. The XML element contains one or more sub-elements. These include DocumentProperties which is valid for Word and Excel, WordDocument which can be used when exporting to Word, and finally ExcelWorkbook which applies to Microsoft Excel.

Below you could find a list with the supported sub-elements of the DocumentProperties.

A list of supported Word properties could be found here.

A list of supported Excel properties could be found here.

Example:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_HTMLExporting(object sender, GridHTMLExportingEventArgs e)
{
    e.XmlOptions = @"<xml>
                        <o:DocumentProperties>
                          <o:Category>Reports</o:Category>
                          <o:Manager>Kate Dresen</o:Manager>
                          <o:Company>Adventure Works</o:Company>  
                        </o:DocumentProperties>
                     </xml>";
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_HTMLExporting(sender As Object, e As GridHTMLExportingEventArgs)
    e.XmlOptions = "<xml><o:DocumentProperties><o:Category>Reports</o:Category><o:Manager>Kate Dresen</o:Manager><o:Company>Adventure Works</o:Company></o:DocumentProperties></xml>"
End Sub

You can use the HideStructureColumns property to hide GridRowIndicatorColumn, GridExpandColumn and GridGroupSplitterColumn. For the other columns types, you can use the following approach:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C2").Visible = false;
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord();
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C2").Visible = False
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord()
End Sub

There are two common ways to hide an item.

• Directly - in the button handler when exporting from a button or on ItemCommand when exporting from the built-in buttons

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName)
        RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items[2].Visible = false;
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As GridCommandEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCommand
    If e.CommandName = RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName Then
        RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items(2).Visible = False
    End If
End Sub

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items[2].Visible = false;
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord();
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.Items(2).Visible = False
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToWord()
End Sub

• On ItemCreated / ItemDataBound - this approach should be used when IgnorePaging="true" or when you call RadGrid.Rebind before exporting.

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

bool isWordExport = false;
protected void RadGrid1_ItemCommand(object source, GridCommandEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.CommandName == RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName)
        isWordExport = true;
}
protected void RadGrid1_ItemCreated(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    if (isWordExport && e.Item.ItemIndex == 2)
        e.Item.Visible = false;
}

CopyVB.NET

Private isWordExport As Boolean = False
Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCommand(ByVal source As Object, ByVal e As GridCommandEventArgs)
    If e.CommandName = RadGrid.ExportToWordCommandName Then
        isWordExport = True
    End If
End Sub
Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCreated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridItemEventArgs)
    If isWordExport AndAlso e.Item.ItemIndex = 2 Then
        e.Item.Visible = False
    End If
End Sub

There are various ways to set the width of a given column.

• declarative approach:

CopyASPX

<telerik:GridBoundColumn ... HeaderStyle-Width="20px" />

• in code-behind - before export:

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void Button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C1").HeaderStyle.Width = Unit.Pixel(20);
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel();
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.GetColumn("C1").HeaderStyle.Width = Unit.Pixel(20)
    RadGrid1.MasterTableView.ExportToExcel()
End Sub

• in code-behind - on TH elements

• C#
• VB.NET

CopyC#

protected void RadGrid1_ItemCreated(object sender, GridItemEventArgs e)
{
    if (e.Item is GridHeaderItem && isExport)
    {
        foreach (TableCell cell in e.Item.Cells)
            cell.Style["width"] = "20px";
    }
}

CopyVB.NET

Protected Sub RadGrid1_ItemCreated(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As GridItemEventArgs) Handles RadGrid1.ItemCreated
    If TypeOf e.Item Is GridHeaderItem AndAlso isExport Then
        For Each cell As TableCell In e.Item.Cells
            cell.Style("width") = "20px"
        Next
    End If
End Sub

You can specify the horizontal alignment, using the text-alignCSS attribute. Please note that it is not possible to apply this attribute to the whole header row - you should set it to each cell (TH) separately. The aforementioned limitation concerns only to the header items.

There are several limitations that you should have in mind:

• embedded images are not supported

• exporting invisible RadGrid - to avoid problems with missing content, you should temporary show RadGrid before export

• OpenOffice, AbiWord, etc doesn't support this standard so they won't show the files properly

• in theory all Microsoft Office versions from 2000 up might work, although we don't guarantee that any version, prior to 2003 will display the Office HTML formats as expected